Robin startled and flinched backwards as a white clothed creature suddenly appeared in front of her. He seemed to come from nowhere. Robin flinched backwards.

“No, no, do not be afraid.” he said with a very soft voice. Robin stood where she was and watched him with a furrowed brow. His thin forehead and the light eyes reminded her of someone, but whom? The beings white beard covered the second half of his face, and the white cape he kept tight around him, like he was cold.

“Your friend Galadriel is in danger,” he said. “Do you want to help her?”

“Yes,” answered Robin, and then everything happen at the same time. The white being pulled of his beard and let the cape fall to the ground, and there stood Agel Arágel, swelling like a thundercloud with a malevolent smile.

Robin wanted run from there, but her legs didn’t obey her. She tried to think him away, but it wasn’t so easy to concentrate when a pair of long, grey hands stretched out after her. He captured her and lifted her up. His arms were hard like steel, and an unpleasant smell of mould surrounded Robin. She tried to think he wasn’t there, but it was impossible. Galadriel had said that Ag’s loyal did not go under the same laws as the others; think if it didn’t go to think him away?

She lay stiff and terrified in his arms, unable to move. Agel Arágel flew over the moss like a smoke puff, through thicket and bushes, in the way to the fen. Robin tried to shout, but couldn’t. In a blink they were in the middle of the swampy ground, where brown water shimmered between the sedge tufts and forest rush. In the distance, something grey was seen forming in the fen, it looked like a high wasp nest.

“It is no use to try to run,” said Agel Arágel, “Because her in the Lô you can go down and die if you have heavy clumsy human feet. And that you have, you little ulunn[1]. Your obstinate, ill mannered weeds! Pink in the face like a briar rose, but that we shall soon change. Did you think you could stand against Agel Arágel?”

Robin didn’t answer.

“The brave Robin, eh? The chosen one. Yes, yes. Did you learn anything? Something that can please old Agel Arágel?” he chuckle. “And his majesty too, of course,” he added quickly.

Robin felt as the little courage she had left disappeared. Greenwood and Carex had been right. Ticka had spied for the Manulô[2] and told them everything. Now they know that somewhere would be an angle stone that had power to destroy them. Though they didn’t know where, only Robin knew that.

“You are not so talkative today, I think?” said Agel Arágel. “But we shall get you talking.”

Robin remained silent. They were just in front of the high grey buildings. Around them was all sedge and rush dead, and a stink filled the air.

“King Ag would very much like to meet you, you understand,” continued the Thind Mân. “Here we will go in.” They stood in front of the highest building. He lifted his hand and knocked on the rough surface. A door, that hadn’t been visible, opened. A Grey shadow bowed. Agel Arágel swept through, and the door closed behind them. Agel let go of her, so she landed as a heap on the ground. She didn’t dare to look up.

“Listen little human creep,” said Agel. “Listen, so you hear the Ag’s song, the grey’s hymn to the greyness.”

Robin held her hands over her eyes, and heard a mumble, humming sound, that surged back and forth. It was an ice-cold, low song, sung by many similar voices. Not sadness or happiness was heard in the melody, and it seemed to continue in eternity. When Robin had listened for some time, she heard words that were felt more than heard:

We are the grey
They that never dream
But always be
We are the grey
They that does not hide
And nothing get…

“Look up!” said Agel Arágel demanding. “Admire the ‘Greyhunger’s’ interior! Anything else you would never see again.” He took her around her neck and forced her to look around.

Robin shivered. High above her head arched a ceiling, where a big layer of spider webs slowly swayed. The building seemed to be a never ending layer inside than outside. A particular half-day ruled, but through the haze she could see a big throne chair in the other end of the hall. In it sat a high, indistinct being. On both side of throne chair stood four smaller chairs, also taken. And everywhere in the hall grey figures were seen, that slowly flew around in wandering groups or sat still and shrunken on the floor. It was those that sang.

“Get up, you pitiful Ulunn,” said Agel Arágel and drew her up on her feet. “The King waits. He is very interested of what you learned about a special angle stone. So come! Now we walk to his Majesty.” He sometimes pushed, alternating carrying Robin through the shadow grey hall. The Greys song stopped and whispers was heard. It sounded threatening and increased in volume: “Look! One that isn’t grey! Why isn’t she grey?” The shadows came closer in floating groups. Robin looked for a way to flee, but Agel held her tight.

“Can we touch, can we touch?” whispered the Grey. Agel let go of one hand and pushed them away with a gesture. But among the first shadows that come closed Robin had seen a face she knew. The pointed chin, the undulating hat – it was Ticka, but a totally grey Ticka with foreigner eyes, that looked like stones on the bottom of a back; blank and out of life.

“Ticka!” she shouted. “Please Ticka, I forgive you for everything, just you will be as before!” But Ticka's face had disappeared among the others.

“”Here is no Ticka,” said Agel Arágel. “Here is only the Grey.” He turned to the King, who sat unmoving on his throne. They were so close to him that Robin could see his face that was light grey with dark eyes, in were a dim light flicking, looking like the will-o’-the-wisp you could see in the marshes. His body was hidden in shadow. The eight Thind mân’s looked like him, but only he carried a crown; a high pointed head cloth without any decorations.

“Great and almighty King, my master and leader,” began Agel Arágel with a deep bow. “I have found the chosen one that the ‘Avad's[3]’ has given their hope to.”

The King didn’t move, but a voice came from his mouth: “Very well done, persuader. Bring her to me.” The voice was only a whisper, but it filled the whole hall. The grey turned to the corners at the sound of it. Agel brought Robin all the way to the throne and then locked her arms. Even though King Ag had not moved, Robin felt that his eyes searched hers. It seemed to look inside of her mind and left coldness in her.

“Well,” said the whispering voice. “Have you solved the riddle?”

“What riddle?” Robin dared to answer.

“You know. Have you found the angel stone?”

“No,” said Robin.

“Shall we let the Grey take are of you?” hissed Agel Arágel in her ear. The shadows began come closer toward her again.

“Silent, persuader,” said King Ag. “We shall award you well if you help us. What do you wish? Do you want a necklace of the bats eyes? Or the nightjar’s wings, that can carry you through the dark?”

“No,” said Robin. “I will only get away from here.” And suddenly she was filled of a strong anger and a strong yearning of the thought on everything she loved in her own world. She thought on the cottage and apple trees and the moss stones at the well-spring. She thought on how the sun used to fall on the front stair early in the morning. She remembered how a little hare had jumped, thin and big eyes but free. She saw in front of her the high grass, where the flowers grow in drifts, she saw the trees leaves glimmering like water, when the wind played in the crowns. She thought on how her mother used to sit on the front stair and clean berries, when her father was doing the lawn. And she saw Maria come walking the way where the clove was in bloom; a happy Maria, jumping and exciting.

She was filled with great strength as she thought of all this and she said: “I do not follow you. I refuse to be like you.”

“Nonsense,” said Agel Arágel, but his voice sounded distant. The holds around her arms loosen. The dusk gave away for light, and the whole hall with King Ag and all shadows vanished slowly and disappeared.

 

~*~ Part 31 ~*~

Robin stood alone in the fen. The sun which shone above her was the one she always known, and the marsh that surrounded her was a very real marsh where she could be sucked down and caught if you step wrong. Luckily, she had her feet on a big tuft of grass, but the way towards the forest edge looked endless. She didn’t dare to move. If this was the real forest where her parents walked and picked berries, they would hear her if she shouted? She had never been in a situation where she had needed to shout for help. It felt terrible and desperate to hear her own voice shout: “Help! Help!” Not that she could shout very high either, and the marsh was long way from the place she had left her parents.

“Stop shouting, your loud mouth,” said a feeble voice somewhere at her feet. She looked down and saw Greenwood, but a very tiny Greenwood, maybe high as a hand.

“What are you doing here?” she asked surprised. “Why are you so small?”

“What are you doing yourself?” Greenwood said angrily. “Why are you so big?”

“It is not I that am big, it is you that is small. Look at the sedge grass, then you might believe me.”

Greenwood threw a gaze around him and looked very irritated. “This has never happen before,” he stated.

“What?” said Robin. “You have to speak louder when you are so small.”

“Stop speaking about small!” Greenwood shouted. “I said this has never happened to me before! Nor anyone else! Suddenly I was here in the marsh – in your world! I heard someone shout for help, and then I was here before I knew!” He looked incredulous on Robin’s booth shaft, that was about the double his size.

“Then it has to be that you shall help me, then,” said Robin.

“Help? How? Shall I jump from turf to turf, perhaps?”

Robin could not avoid to smile at his anger.

“Stand there and laugh, you idiot,” shouted Greenwood. “But if I were you I would try to think hard that I was real instead.”

“That I was real?” said Robin dense.

“That I was real, needle head!” hollered Greeenwood. “Believe in me then I might grow! But for the Valar do not think on the Grey here in the marsh, because then they might also come forward!”

Robin stopped smiling and thought only on Greenwood, on his long golden hair, his azure eyes and taunting face. She thought so strongly on him that she felt like she touched him. And then he at once got big again and stood before her with drawn eyebrows. “Come!” he said. “I will go first and show you where you shall put your feet. Hurry up!”

He started walking carefully towards the forest edge, and Robin followed him. They didn’t say anything until they was safe among the trees.

“How does it feel?” Robin asked then.

“Strange. I feel heavier and tired.” Greenwood looked confused.

“It may be best for you – we try to get back to Middle Earth and Mirkwood again?” said Robin.

He stopped and quickly turned around, glaring at her. It looked like he was to give her brusque comment to her slip. She had promised not to mention anything of what Galadriel had told about him, though she was curious and wanted to learn more.

When he replied, it was like he hadn’t heard the end of her question, “Not here. Not so close to ‘Greyhunger’. Come let's go further in. How did it happen that you turned up in the middle of the marsh?”

“It was Agel Arágel,” told Robin. “I was in the wood with my parents, and then I suddenly I stepped on a hare-foot turf, at the same time I thought of you… - And then I was in Middle Earth at once. Agel found me right away and then I happened to say yes to him and he brought me to ‘Greyhunger’ but I thought the whole away, and –“

“How in the name of the Valar could you be so stupid to say yes to Agel?” interrupted Greenwood.

“He was disguised and he tricked me. He was totally white.”

“If you had looked carefully you would probably have seen that he was little grey in the edges,” said Greenwood. “You are not watchful.” He sounded stern, and Robin got very sad. She had been captured, frightened and questioned and then found herself in the middle of the marsh, and now he scolding on her! She closed here teeth to not cry, but it didn’t help.

 

~*~ Part 32 ~*~

“What?” Greenwood burst out. “Are you sad? Are you serious? Come on Robin? You are not sad in real?” his intonation was gentler than usual.

“That you give a damn!” said Robin between the sniffles. “You can go back to your stupid forest where you belong. I can take care of myself, you bighead.”

“That is what you can not. You get lost, Robin.” Greenwood put his hands on her shoulders. “And I am not a bighead," he added.

“Yes you are. You talk only about everyone is in love with you, but no one is,” Robin rasp out.

“No one?” Greenwoods eyes were big and questioning. “Don’t you mistake yourself now?” His face was close to hers; she could feel his breath.

“Okay,” she said silent. “I like you a little, but I’m so stupid, you say.”

“Not at all.” He put his arms around her and gave her a big hug. His hair lay soft and tickled her cheek, and his body felt very real.

Then he let go of her and avoided her gaze. “Come,” he said. “Where did you leave your parents?”

“Why do you want to know?” she had little hard to found her voice.

“Because you shall get back there, of course,” he said.

“Can’t I follow you to Middle Earth instead?” Robin said. “I know where the angel stone is, if that is of interest.”

“You know?” Greenwood shone up. “Where?”

“I tell you that when we are in Middle Earth.” She said and closed her lips.

“Robin, please. Don’t be stupid now.”

“You just said I wasn’t stupid. Can’t you ever decide what you think?”

Greenwood took inpatient a step forward. She noticed he walked heavier than before, almost as a human. “Your parents are left in the wood, are they not?” he said.

“Yes.”

“And if you follow me to Middle Earth, you could meet your parents and when you then see them they wouldn’t be as you are use to see them. They would be paralysed in the same position as when you left them.”

“Why would they?” wondered Robin.

“That depends on the time. The time isn’t the same in our worlds. Jacob has explained that for me, but I’m not as good as him to explain things.” Greenwood seemed to think what to say. “It just is. And it is probably best to avoid experience like that. We would not see them but maybe you, and that would not be good. Even if you did not see them, you would think that they were there, would you not?”

“Just because you told me,” Robin said sour.

Greenwood sighed. “You know what you can do with your thoughts. We have to avoid everything that can disturb the balance between the worlds. That is not allowed to happen. I have already disturbed it to come here to your world. Think if the both worlds start to float together anyway?”

“Would that be so bad?” said Robin aggressive. She didn’t like that Greenwood sounded so serious and admonitory. Maybe was it her world that had change him? All his playfulness was like blown in the wind.

“Yes, then we could both go under,” he replied. “The sleeper, as the higher domination has warned about that. Only the times when both gain of a change it is allowed. Please tell me where you left your parents.”

“On the road,” said Robin. “Just after the little meadow where we meet the first time. You and me.”

“Then I will follow you to the road,” said Greenwood, “So you have to meet them there. And it is best if we hurry, since we wasted a lot of time in the marsh and talking. They are probably worried about you.” He started walk, and Robin trotted beside him. It took a good time before they saw the road.

Greenwood breathed hastily and seemed very tired. “That angel stone,” he said. “Was it located in the woods? That you can at least tell me.”

“No, it lies in a field.” Robin indulged.

Greenwood looked even more tired. “How shall we know then?” he said low-spirited. “Well, we can call for a new meeting while you are away. We might figure out something during that time. You have to make sure that your parents get out of the forest. After that you can come back.”

“If I want, yes. Chasing bore.”

“Robin,” scolded Greenwood. “Stop fighting. You want too.”

“Why can’t you stay here with me instead?” she said stupid.

“Because I do not feel well here, because I do not belong here. I feel heavier every moment. It is because it isn’t allowed or the right time. Go and meet your parents now. Don’t you hear that they call for you?”

And that they did. “Hall-oo, Robin!” shouted they somewhere. She had heard that some time but not cared about it.

“Think me away,” said Greenwood determined.

Then she did it. She was so annoyed at him that it was easy. First he became small like a mite that waved, and then he disappeared totally.

Robin walked along the forest road in the direction towards the cottage hollering: “Mum? Dad? Where are you?”

A big cracking and rustling was heard, and after a moment her parents came running, out of breath and worried.

“Where have you been?” said her father angry. “You have been away for a whole half hour; and we was just about to go down to ask for help in the search for you.” He was red in his face.

“We were about to perish of worry,” said her mother. “Think about what we would tell the police? Where have you been?”

“I got lost,” said Robin. “I lost the road. And please do not squabble at me. I have got enough of quarrel. Now I want to go home.”

Her mother took hold of her hand hard so it hurt. Then they walked fast to the cottage without looking for wild strawberries or blue berries. But just at the gate her father bent and picked up a big red wild strawberry and gave it to Robin.

“You have to be careful in the wood, Robin,” said her mother. “Didn’t you walk just behind us – how could you get lost?”

“I did find the way back,” said Robin. “Isn’t that the most important?”

 

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